The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T. Norl., commonly known as Cape Daisy and hereinafter referred to by the variety denomination ‘Sunny Antique Serena’.
The new Osteospermum cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor, Bjarne Nyholm Larsen, in Stige, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Osteospermums with continuous flowering, good postproduction longevity and attractive inflorescence coloration.
The new Osteospermum cultivar originated as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation found as a single plant in a production batch of Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T. Norl. designated ‘Sunny Serena’ (patented, and disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,693 and CPVO Registration Number 10371) in March of 2002 in Stige, Denmark. The new Osteospermum cultivar originated from a naturally occurring mutation found in a production batch of Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T. Norl. designated ‘Sunny Serena’ in March of 2002 in Stige, Denmark. The Inventor selected the new Osteospermum cultivar in June of 2002 on the basis of its attractive inflorescence color, good postproduction longevity, continuous flowering and upright, compact, freely branching growth habit.
Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum cultivar by terminal cuttings taken and propagated at trial production batches in Stige, Denmark, since 2003 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new Osteospermum cultivar reproduces true-to-type.